Folding leg bracket for sawhorse

ABSTRACT

A folding leg bracket for sawhorses in which the bracket comprises a baseplate attached to the main rail of the sawhorse to provide a swivel surface directed at an angle to the axis of the rail for directing the folding action of the leg to and from a substantially parallel position alongside the rail, and a leg socket swivelly attached to the plate surface and movable between folded and angularly extended positions for determining the folded and angularly erect positions of the leg.

United States Patent 409,544 8/1889 Zeigler 182/155 875,269 12/1907 lnman n 108/129 2,573,740 11/1951 Spiking 182/155 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney-Gravely, Lieder & Woodruif ABSTRACT: A folding leg bracket for sawhorses in which the bracket comprises a baseplate attached to the main rail of the leg.

FOLDING LEG BRACKET FOR SAWI-IORSE The present invention pertains to a folding leg bracket for a sawhorse, and is particularly concerned with improvements in the construction of the bracket whereby the leg may be swiveled between a folded position along side the sawhorse main rail for compact storage and extended at a spread angle for support of the main rail.

A typical sawhorse includes a main rail of appropriate length and a pair of legs attached to the main rail at approximately the ends thereof. The legs are required to. spread out sidewise and endwise for stable support of the rail. The'usual leg spread complicates the convenience in storing the sawhorse when not being used. Fixed leg sawhorses usemore space than is usually available and when several sawhorses are present they must be stacked. A great convenience will be achieved when the sawhorse legs can be folded along side the main rail so less storage space is needed.

The bracket of this improvement includes a base plate. to be connected to the side of the sawhorse rail to present a swivel surface directed at an angle to the rail side face, a leg socket member connected to the swivel surface by a pivot element, and a motion limiting pin carried by the plate to move in aslot in the socket for determinin'g'the folded and extended positions of the leg. A detent is provided for retaining the-socket and leg in folded position.

The objects of this invention are to provide asawhorse with foldable legs for convenient storage, to provide a 1 unique bracket which can be made as a separate product for attachment to any size of main rail and to receive the legs which support the main rail, and to providea bracket that has the ability to fold legs compactly and to hold the legsin stable extended positions spread out sidewise and endwise for supporting the main rail when in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The improved folding leg bracket for a sawhorse is shown in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sawhorse with one pair of legs in extended positions and theother pair of legs folded to show the two positions determined bythe improved bracket;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the sawhorse and a pair of legs to show further details of the brackets;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the main rail and a pair of legs attached by the present brackets;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the sawhorse;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken at line 55.in FIG. 3;

plane of the rail side face. Suitable apertures are provided in the several flanges l6, l7 and 21 for receiving attachment nails or screws by which the base plate 14 is removably connected to the rail 11.

' The bracket 13 also includes a leg receiving socket 22 best seen in FIG. 7, but shown in other views. The socket 22 is provided with a turn plate 23 connected for swiveling movement on the swivel face l5v of the base plate 14 by a pivot element 24. Thetum plate is flanked by opposed sidewalls 25 and 26, each of which is in the shape of a trapezium. The sidewalls 25 and 26 have flanges 27 and 28 respectively which wrap partially about the upper end of the leg 12; Suitable apertures are 'providedin the flanges 27 and 28 for securing the leg 12 in I position seated within the socket 22. If desired, a leg stop 29 maybe provided in the form of a tab lanced out of the turn "plate 23. The socket 22 is also provided with a leg pitch abutment flange 30 turned inwardly across the bottom of the turn plate 23 (FIG. 6) and extending into the leg receiving opening of the socket 22.

The relative turning or swiveling of the turn plate 23 on the swivel face 15 is controlled by forming an arcuate slot 31 in the bracket swivel face 15, the length of the slot" being greater than 90 with its center in the axis of the pivot element 24. Retention of the leg 12 in folded'position is obtained by forming of the bracket 13,

swivel face 23 of the socket 22. The recess 32 and button 33 are so placed that they nest when the socket 22 is swiveled into the folded position of the leg 12, thereby frictionally retaining the leg infolded position. The arcuate slot'3l is engaged by a stop pin 34 carried in the turn plate 23 of the FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken at line 6--6 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bracket assembly-forming the subject of this improvement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 the preferred embodiment is seen to comprise a carpenters trestle or sawhorse 10 having a main longitudinal rail 11 of appropriate dimensions to support the 'work load contemplated. The rail 11 is supported on pairs of angularly spread legs 12, one pair being extended at the left end of the rail 11 into unfolded working position and the other pair being folded up along side the main rail to illustrate the compactness of the leg stored position. Each leg 12 is connected to the main rail 11 by a unique bracket 13.

In FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 7 the bracket 13 is seen to comprise a base plate 14 having a substantially flat swivel face 15 pitched at an angle to the lengthwise axis of the rail 11 and convergent relative to the center of the rail. The swivel face 11 is connected to the side of the rail 11 by an inner flange I6 and by an outer flange l7 spaced from the swivel face 15 by a distance piece 18. Triangular top wall 19 and bottom wall 20 close ofi the space between the rail side face and the swivel face 15, and the bottom wall has an extension flange 21 which reaches under the rail 11 to form a supporting seat for the rail 11. The pitch angle of the swivel face 15 is approximately 12 to the socket, the pin 34 being movably along the slot 31 upon swiveling of the socket 22 relative to the base plate 14.

The pitch angle of the swivel face 15 is chosen such that upon folding of the leg 12 it will assume a position along side the rail 11 and parallel thereto. The spacing of the bracketsl3 on the rail 11 is such that the legs 12 when folded will have their ends spaced apart so no interference will result. When thelegs 12 are unfolded and in working position the legs will pass outwardly of a vertical position by approximately 10 so that the legs 12 are spread out laterally and longitudinally of the rail 11. This leg position is obtained by the compound angular relation of the base plate and the socket when taking into account the elTeet of the leg pitch abutment means 30 in the socket 22 and the trapezium shape of the socket sidewalls 25 and 26. When fully unfolded the pair of legs 12 at each end of the rail 11 spread out to an included angle of about 24 and they are angled outwardly longitudinally of the rail 11 by about 10 so that both lateral and longitudinal stability is assumed for the rail 11.

It should now be fully understood in what manner the presently improved bracket I3 achieves the purposes for which it is intended. It is also evident that the bracket may be made as a unit in which case a set of four brackets will be required for each sawhorse. I-Iaving set forth a preferred embodiment of the improvement the scope of the invention will be def ned hereinafter.

What is claimed is:

1. In a leg folding bracket for a sawhorse having a longitudinal main rail, the improvement of a base plate having rail attachment flanges and a swivel face positioned by said flanges at an angle to the longitudinal rail axis, a leg receiving socket having leg attachment flanges on opposed sides to engage the leg, means carried by said socket to pitch the leg angularly outwardly relative to said swivel face, and pivot means connecting said socket to said swivel face on said base plate, said swivel face angle effecting motion of said socket during pivoting to direct the leg from a position folded along side the main rail to a position angularly extended relative to the main rail.

2. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein said swivel face angle is approximately 12 to the longitudinal axis of the main rail, and said leg pitch means fixes the angularly extended position of the leg at approximately 12 to the main rail.

3. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein said swivel face on said base plate is formed with an arcuate slot having said pivot means as its center, said slot being elongated to include an arc of greater than 90 to limit socket movement from a position with the leg substantially parallel to the main rail to a position with the leg moved passed perpendicularity to the main rail.

4. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein said swivel face angle is pitched at an angle convergent toward the center of the main rail, and said leg pitch means carried by said socket is positioned to pitch the lengthwise axis of the leg outwardly of the plane of said swivel face.

5. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein one of said base plate flanges is directed under the main rail to support the rail, other flanges on said base plate support said swivel face at an angle convergent toward the center of the main rail, and said leg pitch means carried by said socket is disposed adjacent said swivel face on said base plate.

6. In a sawhorse: a longitudinal main rail; a pair of supporting legs adjacent opposite ends of said main rail; and means for connecting each leg to said main rail for folding to a position along side said main rail from a position angled outwardly from said main rail; each connecting means comprising a base plate having a flange carrying said main rail and a swivel face pitched at an angle to converge toward the center of said main rail, a socket pivotally connected to said swivel face and having opposed flanges to receive the upper end of said supporting leg, and means on said socket between said opposed flanges and projecting into said socket to abut the leg and retain it at an angle to extend the lower end of the leg outwardly at the side of said main rail.

7. In a sawhorse as defined in claim 6, means between said swivel face and said socket to limit the folding movement of said leg between a position folded up along side said main rail and a position extending angularly outwardly endwise of said main rail.

8. In a sawhorse as defined in claim 7, said leg folding limiting means comprising an arcuate slot in one of said swivel face and socket and a pin stop in the other of said swivel face and socket, said arcuate slot including an arc of greater than with one end located to limit leg folding movement to the position along side said main rail and the other end located to limit the outward angled position of said leg endwise of said main rail.

9. In a sawhorse as defined in claim 7 and including detent means to retain said leg in folded position.

' i v aa: a :r e 

1. In a leg folding bracket for a sawhorse having a longitudinal main rail, the improvement of a base plate having rail attachment flanges and a swivel face positioned by said flanges at an angle to the longitudinal rail axis, a leg receiving socket having leg attachment flanges on opposed sides to engage the leg, means carried by said socket to pitch the leg angularly outwardly relative to said swivel face, and pivot means connecting said socket to said swivel face on said base plate, said swivel face angle effecting motion of said socket during pivoting to direct the leg from a position folded along side the main rail to a position angularly extended relative to the main rail.
 2. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein said swivel face angle is approximately 12* to the longitudinal axis of the main rail, and said leg pitch means fixes the angularly extended position of the leg at approximately 12* to the main rail.
 3. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein said swivel face on said base plate is formed with an arcuate slot having said pivot means as its center, said slot being elongated to include an arc of greater than 90* to limit socket movement from a position with the leg substantially parallel to the main rail to a position with the leg moved passed perpendicularity to the main rail.
 4. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein said swivel face angle is pitched at an angle convergent toward the center of the main rail, and said leg pitch means carried by said socket is positioned to pitch the lengthwise axis of the leg outwardly of the plane of said swivel face.
 5. The bracket improvement of claim 1 wherein one of said base plate flanges is directed under the main rail to support the rail, other flanges on said base plate support said swivel face at an angle convergent toward the center of the main rail, and said leg pitch means carried by said socket is disposed adjacent said swivel face on said base plate.
 6. In a sawhorse: a longitudinal main rail; a pair of supporting legs adjacent opposite ends of said main rail; and means for connecting each leg to said main rail for folding to a position along side said main rail from a position angled outwardly from said main rail; each connecting means comprising a base plate having a flange carrying said main rail and a swivel face pitched at an angle to converge toward the center of said main rail, a socket pivotally connected to said swivel face and having opposed flanges to receive the upper end of said supporting leg, and means on said socket between said opposed flanges and projecting into said socket to abut the leg and retain it at an angle to extend the lower end of the leg outwardly at the side of said main rail.
 7. In a sawhorse as defined in claim 6, means between said swivel face and said socket to limit the folding movement of said leg between a position folded up along side said main rail and a position extending angularly outwardly endwise of said main rail.
 8. In a sawhorse as defined in claim 7, said leg folding limiting means comprising an arcuate slot in one of said swivel face and socket and a pin stop in the other of said swivel face and socket, said arcuate slot including an arc of greater than 90* with one end located to limit leg folding movement to the position along side said main rail and the other end located to limit the outward angled position of said leg endwise of said main rail.
 9. In a sawhorse as defined in claim 7 and including detent means to retain said leg in folded position. 